Leafpool's Wish/Chapter 9
Chapter description :Leafpool stumbles upon a dead hollow tree just as she goes into labor. She is dimly aware of Squirrelflight trying to make her more comfortable, by giving her sister moss soaked with water. Leafpool cries out in alarm and her world shrinks into a small cocoon of scarlet pain and throbbing fear. Squirrelflight panics and asks Leafpool what she should do to help, as she has no experience. Leafpool calmly tells her to pass her the kit once it comes so she can lick it to keep it warm. :Her world opens up just enough to include her first-born, a black kit. This moment does not last long, as another pain ripples through her body. As a medicine cat, she knows something is wrong because the pain should fade as the kit shifts inside her. Squirrelflight tells her to push harder, as it seems the kit is stuck. Leafpool tries to press her paws against her belly, to manipulate it as she would do for a queen in the nursery, but her paws flop to the ground. She can feel Squirrelflight trying to push and prod, but she hadn't been trained and Leafpool doesn't have the energy to tell her what to do. Her world starts to fade as she calls out for StarClan to help her, as a cat can die if a kit gets stuck. :She opens her eyes to find Yellowfang pressing on her flank with strong paws, shifting the kit inside her. She tells Squirrelflight to get Leafpool some more water, then to warm up the black kit. Squirrelflight pummels the little cat until it squeaks, then moves it closer to Leafpool. Yellowfang shoves a stick in Leafpool's mouth, and tells her this is going to hurt a lot, and to have a little faith. With a wrench, a golden tabby is born, and Squirrelflight drags him next to his sister. Leafpool is completely exhausted and wants nothing more than to curl up and sleep for a moon. :Yellowfang roughly shakes her awake, and tells her there is one more kit to be born. Squirrelflight tells her that she has to, and this time the kit slips out easily, a tiny gray tom. Yellowfang puts him next to his littermates, while Leafpool begins to wash the stickiness out of their fur. She faintly hears Yellowfang telling the pair to get some rest, and to wait for the kits eyes to open when they go back to the hollow, if they go back. As Leafpool falls asleep, she thinks she might stay in the hollow tree forever. :She wakes up the next morning to Squirrelflight and she pushes a shrew towards her, insisting they share it. Leafpool looks down at her kits snuggled safely against her belly, then glances outside where snow is beginning to fall. Squirrelflight comments that it will make hunting more difficult, but it should hide their scents. Leafpool fondly tucks the black she-kit closer to her, and Squirrelflight looks at her wistfully and says that she is a brilliant mother already. There is a ring of sadness in her voice, however, as Leafpool recalls Yellowfang's prophecy about Squirrelflight never being able to have her own kits. She regrets wishing they had never been born, and recalls Brackenfur had said about all kits, each one was a true blessing. :Squirrelflight curls her body against Leafpool's, blocking the draft of cold wind from the entrance. They both fall asleep, and Leafpool opens her eyes to find Feathertail looking at her kits. Squirrelflight wakes up too in surprise, and asks if she has come to see Leafpool's kits. Feathertail says that they are beautiful, and that Crowfeather would be proud, and then goes on to say that they must stay in ThunderClan, for all the Clans' sakes, with a mother and father who can be proud of them, who can share them with their Clanmates to be raised as strong, loyal warriors. :Leafpool is about to protest that this is impossible, when she realizes that Feathertail is looking at Squirrelflight. She says that Squirrelflight must raise them in ThunderClan with her head held proud, but Squirrelflight asks her how she can ask her to lie to every cat she loves. Feathertail replies that it's because she loves these kits as much as she does, and wants them to live a life not in shame and exile, especially since they are Crowfeather's. Squirrelflight asks her if she wishes they were hers, and she responds that it was not meant to be, and to believe her when she says that the destiny of these kits begins now, and that they need to stay in ThunderClan. Squirrelflight agrees to raise them in ThunderClan, as hers and Brambleclaw's. Leafpool then says a sincere thank-you to Squirrelflight for what she is going to do for her. :Feathertail fades, leaving the two she-cats alone in the hollow tree. They name two of the kits Hollykit and Lionkit. The third, smallest kit is yet to be named as Squirrelflight assures Leafpool that she will love them as her own, and that she will see them all the time. She goes on to say that ThunderClan needs it's medicine cat, and that Leafpool is the only one up for the job. Squirrelflight then promises that the secret of their birth will die with her. Characters Major }} Minor *Yellowfang *Feathertail }} Mentioned *Lionkit *Hollykit *Jaykit (Unnamed) *Brackenfur }} Notes and references Category:Chapter subpages Category:Leafpool's Wish Category:Novellas